Fluoride
Suez Water Delaware
Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Read More.
Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.
171
Samples
0
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
0
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.943 ppm | 33 | 33 | 0.700 ppm - 1.20 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.943 ppm | 38 | 38 | 0.220 ppm - 1.30 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.837 ppm | 26 | 26 | 0.500 ppm - 1.10 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.898 ppm | 29 | 29 | 0.640 ppm - 1.10 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.901 ppm | 18 | 18 | 0.610 ppm - 1.10 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.799 ppm | 27 | 27 | 0.000890 ppm - 0.990 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 4 ppm
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-02 | 1065760005 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-01-02 | 1065760006 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-01-02 | 106576007 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-02-27 | 1073857001 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2014-03-06 | 1074927001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2014-03-06 | 1074927002 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2014-04-03 | 1079857003 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2014-04-03 | 1079857004 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2014-04-21 | 2003576001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2014-05-05 | 2005005001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2014-05-05 | 2005005002 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2014-05-05 | 2005005003 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2014-06-13 | 2012374001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2014-06-13 | 2012374002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2014-06-13 | 2012374003 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2014-07-08 | 2017362001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2014-07-08 | 2017362002 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2014-07-08 | 2017362003 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2014-08-08 | 2022582001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2014-08-08 | 2022582002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2014-08-08 | 2022582003 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 202897003 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 2028987001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2014-09-09 | 2028987002 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2014-11-06 | 2039074001 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2014-11-06 | 2039074002 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2014-11-06 | 2039074003 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2014-12-18 | 2046250001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-12-18 | 2046250002 | 0.700 ppm |
| 2014-12-18 | 2046250003 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | S553970 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | S553971 | 0.890 ppm |
| 2014-12-22 | S553972 | 0.930 ppm |
| 2015-01-15 | 2049970001 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2015-01-15 | 2049970002 | 0.650 ppm |
| 2015-01-15 | 2049970003 | 0.600 ppm |
| 2015-01-22 | 2051174001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-01-22 | 2051174002 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2015-01-22 | 2051174003 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2015-02-05 | 2053467001 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2015-02-05 | 2053467002 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2015-02-05 | 2053467003 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2015-03-12 | 2059079001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2015-03-12 | 2059079002 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2015-03-12 | 2059079003 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-04-09 | 2064561001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2015-04-09 | 2064561002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-04-09 | 2064561003 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2015-05-08 | 2069803001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2015-05-08 | 2069803002 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2015-05-08 | 2069803003 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2015-06-11 | 2076743001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-06-11 | 2076743002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-06-11 | 2076743003 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2015-07-10 | 2082306001 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-07-10 | 2082306003 | 1.30 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | 2088071001 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | 2088071002 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2015-08-06 | 2088071003 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2015-09-04 | 2093954001 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-09-04 | 2093954002 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-09-04 | 2093954003 | 1.20 ppm |
| 2015-10-09 | 2100947001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2015-10-09 | 2100947002 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2015-10-09 | 2100947003 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2015-11-06 | 2106571002 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2015-11-06 | 2106571003 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2015-12-11 | 2114669001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2015-12-11 | 2114669002 | 0.220 ppm |
| 2015-12-30 | 2116221001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2015-12-30 | S659016 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2016-01-20 | 2119935001 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2016-01-20 | 2119935002 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-02-11 | 2124134001 | 0.500 ppm |
| 2016-02-17 | 2125884001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2016-02-17 | 2125884003 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2016-02-23 | 2125884005 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2016-03-18 | 2131017001 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2016-03-18 | 2131017002 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | 2135458001 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2016-04-05 | 2135458002 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2016-05-06 | 2142059001 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2016-05-06 | 2142059002 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2016-06-13 | 2156824001 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2016-06-13 | 2156824002 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2016-07-11 | 2158282001 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2016-07-11 | 2158282002 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2016-08-02 | 2163740001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2016-08-02 | 2163740002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2016-09-14 | 2175204001 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2016-09-14 | 2175204002 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2016-10-14 | 2183016001 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2016-10-14 | 2183016002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2016-11-04 | 2187719001 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-11-04 | 2187719002 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2016-11-04 | 2187719003 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2016-12-28 | S694836 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-01-05 | 2200402001 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2017-01-05 | 2200402002 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2017-02-16 | 2209475001 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2017-02-16 | 2209475002 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2017-02-28 | 2211469001 | 0.710 ppm |
| 2017-03-15 | 2215846001 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2017-03-15 | 2215846002 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2017-03-15 | 2215846003 | 0.680 ppm |
| 2017-03-24 | 2217540001 | 0.760 ppm |
| 2017-03-24 | 2217540002 | 0.880 ppm |
| 2017-04-21 | 2224525002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-05-04 | 2227903001 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2017-05-04 | 2227903002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-06-21 | 2241235001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2017-06-21 | 2241235002 | 0.960 ppm |
| 2017-07-28 | 2249810001 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2017-07-28 | 224981002 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2017-08-04 | 2253638001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-08-04 | 2253638002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-09-07 | S637305 | 0.910 ppm |
| 2017-09-21 | 2263277001 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2017-09-21 | 2263277002 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2017-09-28 | S738652 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2017-10-19 | 2270984001 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2017-10-19 | 2270984002 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2017-11-16 | 2277687001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-11-16 | 2277687002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2017-12-06 | 2281361001 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2017-12-06 | 2281361002 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2018-01-18 | S769242 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2018-02-07 | 2293854001 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-02-07 | 2293854002 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-04-12 | L7016739-1 | 0.800 ppm |
| 2018-04-12 | L7016739-2 | 0.990 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | L7023260-1 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2018-05-08 | L7023260-2 | 0.990 ppm |
| 2018-06-06 | L7033696-1 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2018-06-06 | L7033696-2 | 0.940 ppm |
| 2018-07-06 | L7046860-1 | 1.10 ppm |
| 2018-07-06 | L7046860-2 | 1.000 ppm |
| 2018-07-06 | L7046860-3 | 0.990 ppm |
| 2018-09-05 | 8091714-01 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2018-09-05 | 8091714-02 | 0.990 ppm |
| 2018-10-02 | 8102022-01 | 0.920 ppm |
| 2018-10-02 | 8102022-02 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | 8121795-01 | 0.630 ppm |
| 2018-12-05 | 8121795-02 | 0.610 ppm |
| 2019-01-03 | 9011741-01 | 0.750 ppm |
| 2019-01-03 | 9011741-02 | 0.730 ppm |
| 2019-02-07 | 9022239-01 | 0.830 ppm |
| 2019-02-07 | 9022239-02 | 0.780 ppm |
| 2019-03-04 | 9031531-01 | 0.720 ppm |
| 2019-03-04 | 9031531-02 | 0.660 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 9041680-01 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2019-04-01 | 9041680-02 | 0.740 ppm |
| 2019-05-01 | 9051653-01 | 0.850 ppm |
| 2019-05-01 | 9051653-02 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | 9061606-01 | 0.900 ppm |
| 2019-06-03 | 9061606-02 | 0.870 ppm |
| 2019-07-08 | 9073137-01 | 0.980 ppm |
| 2019-07-08 | 9073137-02 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2019-08-09 | 9083516-01 | 0.970 ppm |
| 2019-08-09 | 9083516-02 | 0.950 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | 9091933-01 | 0.840 ppm |
| 2019-09-05 | 9091933-02 | 0.810 ppm |
| 2019-09-09 | S869179 | 0.812 ppm |
| 2019-10-02 | 9101912-01 | 0.990 ppm |
| 2019-10-02 | 9101912-02 | 0.000890 ppm |
| 2019-11-04 | 9111708-01 | 0.820 ppm |
| 2019-11-04 | 9111708-02 | 0.790 ppm |
| 2019-11-04 | 9111708-03 | 0.770 ppm |
| 2019-11-27 | 9114871-02 | 0.640 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | 9121701-01 | 0.860 ppm |
| 2019-12-03 | 9121701-02 | 0.920 ppm |